The present invention relates to multichannel television systems, which are typically cable TV networks, and addresses the problem of utilizing their new channel capacity. It is evident that browsing TV channels and reading a guide magazine become inefficient with 800 or so channels and in order to efficiently utilize the new capacity a new medium is required. This invention presents such a medium, an automated personal programming system that incorporates TV set, VCR and computer to provide each customer with a virtual personal channel that delivers programs of the most personal interest at the most convenient time.
At the network headend the medium is supported by a data processing and transmitting system that stores descriptive and time-channel data on scheduled TV programs, and transmits the data through the network prior to the programs. At the customer end the preview data is processed by a computer that is a part of customer terminal. The computer stores a customer profile data representing customer iterests and preferences. It evaluates each program to be transmitted in respect to the customer profile, makes a choice and if the terminal is switched to an automatic mode, provides a real time control of channel selector, TV set and VCR to deliver a selected program to the customer.
The automated personal programming can be used for both conventional one-way TV services and new two-way or interactive services such as pay per view, video on demand and teleshopping. The system passes time and stress of choice to computer and what is even more important, it is able to read and analyze much more information on available programs, products and services and as a result to make a better choice individually providing each customer with the most enjoyable entertainment and the most relevant information while protecting from everything which is going to be boring, anoying, useless or unacceptable for any reason.